At 5:30 this morning, Isaac had a nightmare. He stood outside our door and quietly said, “mommy.” Of course we heard him. Of course we were both suddenly wide awake, and I told him to go back to sleep, and David gave him a hug, and the dog thought it was time to wake up! And eat! And play! I always worry in the summer that I won’t hear the boys in the middle of the night if they need me, through the sounds of fans or air conditioners. But I always do. You always hear your child’s voice. I think I’d hear them calling me however far away they are, however old I am. When they were tiny they’d laugh in their sleep, which is surely one of the best sounds in the world, and we’d lie awake watching them and wondering what they were dreaming about. Now Malcolm talks in his sleep, and says the funniest, sweetest things, which he doesn’t remember the next day. Isaac’s voice is clear and pure, like cool water, and his thoughts, as he expresses them are clear and sweet, they’re perfect, with their odd logic, and as necessary as water. The sound of children playing together on the playground after school, laughing and yelling with happy urgency, sounds like a memory of sunshine. Well, it’s no wonder that musicians use the sounds of children’s voices in their music from time-to-time, and that is the subject of today’s Sunday interactive playlist! Songs that have children’s voices in them, singing or yelling or talking.

Isaac surprised me the other day by saying that he ate three salads at lunchtime at school. Apparently, everybody gives him their salad at lunchtime. It’s something he’s known for. I have trouble selling salads to him at home. It’s the dressing. He likes french dressing and ranch dressing. I don’t generally dress my salads with creamy dressings, but I was willing to give it a try, for Isaac. So I made this creamy vegan dressing or dip. And he likes it! He ate salad, he ate carrots and broccoli dipped in it. And Malcolm likes it too! He ate it on a veggie burger as a sort of special sauce. It’s got almonds, smoked paprika, garlic and onions (sauteed, so they’re not too strong or bitter), a bit of honey, a bit of dijon. Spicy, sweet, smoky and delicious!

Here’s a link to the children’s voices playlist…I’ll make it collaborative, so feel free to add what you like! I haven’t gotten very far with it and I need some help!

1 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small shallot – minced
1 clove garlic – minced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/2 t salt
lots of black pepper
1 t lemon juice
1 t honey
1/2 cup (+/-) water

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic, the basil and oregano and cook for until the garlic starts to brown – a few minutes should do it. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a food processor or blender, combine the almonds, mustard, paprika, salt, lemon juice and honey. Process till you have a coarse crumbly consistency. Add the cooled oil, shallots, garlic and herbs. Process again. You should have a sticky crumbly consistency.

Add about half a cup of water, and process till smooth. You can add more or less water to make it as thin as you like it.